Author's Note: Hey y'all! Here's the new story I promised! Just a side note, this has mild MILD swearing, but I rated it T to be on the safe side... Also, a disclaimer, all characters belong to CBS. All mistakes however, whether spelling or grammar, are mine. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: "What Started With a Bang..."
The city vibrated with energy as Ziva David walked the streets of D.C., music blaring in her earbuds. With a smile, she greeted some of her fellow pedestrians, not letting her spirits be dampened when they ignored her. Holding her head high, she walked to the beat of the music, taking in the sights, the smells, and whatever sounds managed to make themselves known above high volume of her music.
After purchasing a small coffee from a nearby vendor, she took a seat on a park bench, savoring every sip of her hot beverage. She glanced around once more at all of her surroundings, more out of habit than necessity. Her eyes fluttered from the swaying of the trees to the flowers planted neatly in their flowerbeds to the vibrant green grass that caught her eye. Without warning, an eery feeling fell upon her and she began to feel uneasy, almost as if she were being watched.
Casting her eyes round about her, she scanned the nearby area. It was then that her eyes met with another's, and she instantly recognize them. In an instant, her eyes widened and her heart beat quickened, causing adrenaline to rush through her veins. She got up with a start, yanking out her earbuds and dropping her coffee, letting it spill on the ground. The face disappeared into the crowd, but she knew it well, despite the recent burn scars. Those impish green eyes, the thin lips that were constantly smirking, the chiseled jaw and well-kept facial hair- these features were not ones she forgot easily, especially when they belonged to an old friend, Amir Ehrlich, whom she had worked with side by side in Mossad.
He had died over a year ago.
"Amir," she whispered breathlessly, confusion and concern taking over her thoughts.,
She managed to spot him up ahead, and without a second thought, she followed him, keeping a safe distance as to not be discovered. Not that it mattered; she knew for a fact that he was aware of her presence, but all logic and reason failed her at that moment. If even for a second, she considered the possibility of a trap, she did not dwell on it for long, ducking behind newspaper stands and crowds of pedestrians whenever Amir turned his head.
Within minutes, Ziva found herself in a much less busy part of town, where only a few other people were around. In a moment of weakness, she took her focus off of Amir for a second to scan her surroundings, only to find him completely vanished from sight. In a panic, Ziva spun around, searching for any sign of her old partner, when the sound of a struggle and a shout came from a nearby alley. Pulling her sig from her holster, she ran to the source of the sound, failing to clear the coast before she rushed in.
There in the alley was a tall assailant dressed in dark clothing and a ski mask, his gun pointed at a man backed up against the alley wall. Without thinking, Ziva pointed her gun at the assailant.
"Federal agent. Drop the weapon," she shouted, feeling self-satisfaction when the dirtbag flinched. He still, however, kept his weapon trained on the other man. The other man, dressed in a full suit, looked slightly relieved for a moment, but then suddenly paled again.
Before Ziva could make a second request, a familiar voice came from behind her.
"I'm sorry, Ziva," it said.
Ziva spun around just in time to have the butt of a gun brought across her face. She fought to stay awake, but the pain was too overwhelming, and she found herself collapsing to the ground, her gun falling from her hand as the darkness overcame her, sending her plunging into subconsciousness.
~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~
The first thing she became aware of was the sharp pain across her face, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her mind was still extremely groggy, but she forced her eyes open, letting them readjust to the light in the alley. In a split second, all memories of the previous events came rushing back to her, and she sat up. It was then that she noticed her gun in her hand, now covered in blood. As she looked over, she let out a small gasp. There, propped up against the alley wall was the man who had previously had a gun pointed at him, now with three bullet holes in his chest. Glancing down at her gun once more, she made the connection.
Dropping it and letting it hit the ground, she took in a sharp breath. "Oh no," she half-whispered, using the wall for support as she stood up. Staggering towards the dead corpse, she knelt down beside him, searching his pockets for an ID. Reaching into his jacket pocket, she pulled out a badge, and her heart skipped a beat when she flipped it open. There on the card read "Special Agent Jason Richards, FBI".
Ziva dropped the badge as if it were possessed, her hands shaking from shock. In the distance, she could hear the sound of sirens getting closer. Standing up, she staggered farther into the alley, first stumbling, then jogging, and finally she broke into a full-out sprint. Before the police could arrive, she rounded a corner and disappeared, leaving only a dead body, a gun, and an empty alley for them to find.
~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~
The elevator dinged, and out of it stepped a tall athletic young female agent, her short and choppy brunette hair not quite reaching her shoulders. Her black leather jacket hung over her shoulders and her aviator sunglasses dangled from the neck of her shirt as she entered the bullpen, her stride long and confident. Setting her backpack down on her desk in the far right corner, Kelly Parker, the team's new probie, turned and glanced around, finding the bullpen completely empty except for McGee, who sat typing at his computer.
"Good morning, McGee," she called, noticing that he flinched almost immediately at the sound of her voice.
"Morning," he mumbled, not bothering to turn his head to look at her. He looked exhausted, and due to the fact that he was wearing dark sunglasses, she could think of only one explanation. She began to laugh, to which he looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"You have a hangover, don't you," she exclaimed, folding her arms and coming to stand in front of her. His expression only portrayed more annoyance.
"No, I do not, Probie. Mind your own business," he growled, typing even more furiously away at his keyboard.
Knowing that it was time for drastic measures, Parker resorted to her stare that McGee always complained reminded him of the stare that belonged to his former boss. Not that they talked about him much, and not nearly enough to even give her a name, but she'd heard enough to know that one of his glares could make a grown man cry.
After about thirty seconds of her intense gaze on him, she noticed him flinch slightly.
"Well?" she asked, his face scrunching up per her demand.
McGee gave it a moment's thought before finally caving in. With a quick swipe of his hands, he whipped the glasses from his face, revealing a nasty-looking purple bruise on his right eye, which was beginning to swell and close shut. Parker cringed at the sight, and clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping.
"You happy now?" he inquired, his voice dripping with irritation. Parker only stared, her mouth now agape. Finally, she spoke.
"How on earth did this happen? Did you slip in the shower or something?" Her question was only met by unusual silence and McGee avoiding her gaze. His non-answer answered everything, and she began to chuckle, it eventually turning into a full-out laugh. He looked more and more annoyed by the second, glaring at her with his half-opened eye.
"Leave it alone, Probie, or so help me, I will make your life a living hell," he threatened through his teeth, his anger evident through his expression.
Parker, however, was unfazed, and continued to smile at him. Finally, she sighed and sat down at her desk. "Don't worry, McGee," she replied in a very nonchalant manner, "I've given myself a black eye in more embarrassing ways." He looked up.
"Well please, do go on."
She hesitated before explaining. "One time, I was singing into a hairbrush while I was home alone. I brought the hairbrush up too fast, and it ricocheted off my nose and into my eye," she confessed, watching as his eyes lit up slightly in amusement. The change wasn't very noticeable, but he wasn't glaring at her so intensely anymore. "It didn't heal for almost a week, and I continually got teased by my fellow students at FLETC for it," she added.
"You're right," he chuckled, "That's way more embarrassing." At that moment, he was interrupted by a new voice entering the bullpen.
"What's embarrassing, my senior agent?" the team leader, Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, asked, striding in while carrying a coffee and two large paper bags which he promptly dropped on his desk. Glancing over at McGee, he did a doubletake, noticing his bulging black eye. He cringed, his face scrunching up tight, as he walked towards McGee. "You look worse than my great aunt Linda, and she was an ugly woman. What'd you do?"
McGee opened his mouth to speak, but Parker beat him to it. "He slipped in the shower," she announced with a half-smile. DiNozzo chuckled.
"Oh, that is embarrassing," he agreed, his impish smile never leaving his face.
Annoyed, McGee retorted, "Yeah? Well it's not as embarrassing as the way Parker got a black eye." Tony looked at Parker curiously, who then turned to McGee.
"McGee, I was lying about that. The only thing I've ever gotten a black eye from is combat training," she confessed with a shrug, turning and walking back to her own desk. DiNozzo laughed and returned to his as well, leaving McGee to stutter, desperately trying to find words to say in his defense. Turning to the team leader, Parker asked, "So then, Boss, how was Rota, Spain?" DiNozzo chuckled.
"It was great," he exclaimed, "Cold beverages, hot weather, and even hotter babes; just what the doctor prescribed." Turning to his team, he commanded, "But enough mission talk, gather around, people. I come bearing gifts." Both Parker and McGee got up from their desks, standing behind him. DiNozzo reached into one of the paper bags before pulling out a CD and turning to McGee. Handing it to him, he smiled as his face filled with confusion.
"Flamenco music?" he asked, holding the CD. DiNozzo's smile widened.
"Knowing you, McGeek, I figured it would be a step up from Yanni and Zemphir," he explained with a cheshire cat smile on his face. McGee looked at him for a second before returning the smile.
"Thanks, Tony," he said, returning to his desk and putting the CD in his desk drawer.
DiNozzo glanced at him with a slight look of disgust before returning to his bag and pulling something out. Keeping it hidden behind his back, he turned to Parker with a sly smile. "Now, Probie-Wan, I have something very special for you," he explained, his smile growing more impish by the second.
Her look of amusement turned into one of concern as he slowly brought it out behind his back a colorful piece of clothing. His eyes danced with childish amusement as he held up to her a bright red flamenco dress with white polka-dots. She gasped audibly and blushed.
"Pigs will fly before I'm caught wearing that," she stated, backing away while pointing a finger at the dress, "I'd rather you shoot me than make me wear that repulsive thing."
McGee snickered and DiNozzo feigned being insulted. "Probie! Where are your manners? If someone gives you a gift, you should accept it, even if you do throw it away later," he scolded holding it out for her.
Parker looked at it with disgust and moved to behind her desk, almost hiding behind it. "I'm not touching that thing," she insisted, planting her feet firm on the floor and folding her arms.
Tony set it down on his desk and put his hands on his hips. "Tell you what, if Ziva doesn't walk in before, say," he glanced down at his watch, "twenty minutes are up, you have to wear it for a hour. Otherwise, I'll wear it for two hours."
Parker looked at him with a skeptical expression. "You? In a flamenco dress?" she asked. DiNozzo grinned. Parker sighed and hung her head, taking a few moments to think, before looking at him again. "Deal," she confirmed with a smirk, folding her arms.
Looking around the bullpen, DiNozzo asked, "Where is our Israeli assassin, anyway?"
Just then, a third voice spoke from behind him. "I was hoping you could tell me the same thing, Agent DiNotso," it said. DiNozzo spun around in surprise to see Tobias Fornell and a small army of FBI agents.
"Agent Fornell, what brings you here?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Fornell gave him a good, hard stare before answering his question. "I'm here with a warrant for the arrest of Mossad Officer Ziva David," he responded. McGee and Parker stood dumbfounded while DiNozzo suppressed the urge to slug Tobias in the face.
"On what charges?" he demanded, sudden hostility taking over his tone and body language. Again, Fornell hesitated before responding.
"Murder."
~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~
"Murder? Fornell, really? We both know Ziva didn't murder an FBI agent. She might of done that a year ago, but this is now, and she's different now," DiNozzo argued, struggling to keep a calm expression. Fornell gazed at him straight-faced while Jenny Shepherd looked at him with curiosity. Upon the FBI's arrival, both agents had immediately been called up to the Director's office.
"All the evidence points to her. Her gun was the murder weapon, her prints were all over the crime scene, and frankly, she doesn't have an alibi. Above all, her disappearance only seems to confirm her as the guilty party," Fornell explained, trying to keep a level tone of voice.
"How do you know she didn't just happen to be passing by the area and tried to help," DiNozzo asked. Fornell looked more annoyed by the second.
"If she was there to help, then explain why her gun was used to shoot our FBI agent?"
"Maybe the attacker stole it from her. Maybe this is all a set up."
Fornell scoffed. "If it is, it's a damn good one. Besides, have you seen Ziva David in action? Nobody simply takes her gun from her."
"Maybe she knew her attacker?"
Again Fornell scoffed. "You know, I'm hearing a lot of maybe's and not enough actual facts that prove Officer David didn't murder my agent. The only thing I could go on is your word, DiNotso, and frankly that's not enough to counter all the evidence."
DiNozzo groaned in frustration. Turning to the Director, he plead desperately, "Please, Jenny, you and I both know Ziva didn't do this."
The Director looked at him thoughtfully before glancing back at Fornell. "You're right," she responded, "I do know, but in this case it doesn't do much. The only thing I can do at the moment is promise the FBI NCIS's full cooperation and support. If Ziva does happen to show up, I assure you that the FBI will be notified." Fornell nodded smugly while DiNozzo scoffed in anger.
"You can't be serious! You can't just betray Ziva like that!" he exclaimed furiously. Jenny promptly stood from her desk.
"Agent DiNozzo! I suggest you watch your tone or you will soon find yourself without a job. And as for what you consider 'betraying' Ziva, everything I'm doing is in her best interest," she informed him, keeping her gaze steady as she looked him in the eye.
DiNozzo glared at the two but held his peace, not willing to kiss his job goodbye over simple words. Turning on his heels, he made a mad dash for the door in an orderly manner. Right before he could reach for the door handle, Fornell spoke.
"Oh, and DiNotso," he called after him. DiNozzo turned back to gaze at him with a steely expression. Tobias continued, "If you interfere with this investigation in any way, I will arrest you for obstruction, or even aiding and abetting if you are found in the company of Ziva David. Do I make myself clear?"
DiNozzo nodded and turned once more for the door before being stopped once again. This time, it was the Director. He turned to her, his hazel eyes meeting her gray eyes. Hers were filled with both understanding and sympathy, and yet at the same time they screamed authority.
"Tony, if this gets to be too much, I want you and your team to take a week off, alright?" she inquired. Tony held her gaze. After a slight pause of silence, he responded.
"With all due respect, Director, I won't give up on Ziva that easily," he replied coolly. Fornell opened his mouth to oppose, but Jenny held out a finger to stop him.
"I'd expect nothing less," she said with a slight smile.
Upon receiving her permission, DiNozzo opened the door and exited, ignoring the hole that Fornell's stare was drilling through the back of his head. Outside the Director's office, Tony leaned up against the door in exhaustion. Rubbing his tired face with his hands, he sighed.
Finally, he said to himself, "Good grief, Ziva, what have you gotten yourself into?"
~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~
Ziva ran, never stopping to look behind her, never stopping to take a breath. Her legs hurt like hell and her lungs screamed at her to stop, but she kept going, ignoring the odd looks she received from passersby.
Again and again, her feet pounded against the pavement, moving to the rhythm of her erratic heartbeat. With each leap forward, she found herself farther and farther away from the alley, and from the dead body. As she ran, she tried to think of options, of people and places she could turn to. She knew NCIS wasn't a safe bet at the moment, knowing that Fornell would be there knocking down the door any second now. Plus, she was most likely a wanted fugitive and she wasn't willing to risk the lives and careers of her friends.
Then she stopped, her legs thankful for a short moment of rest. Amir Ehrlich had been the one to lead her to that alley. He was probably even the one that pistol-whipped her. As she thought about it, the answer seemed clear, and she started up once again, using all her remained strength to carry her legs forward.
A/N: Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to PM me. Thank you!